Boston finishes the exhibition slate at 4-1-1 and will head off for a couple of days of team bonding at an undisclosed location before returning home for Thursday's banner raising and season opener against Philadelphia.
Third Period, 18:52, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins are able to survive that Islanders power play, though New York did have several close calls. The Isles pulled Nabokov late in the man advantage for an extra attacker.
Third Period, 16:52, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins will now have a key penalty to kill as Tyler Seguin heads to the box for hooking.
Third Period, 15:54, Bruins 3-2: The Islanders with a series of threats, including a bid by Michael Grabner on the break from the left wing that hit off the post or outside of the net and a chance in front by Matt Moulson that Thomas stuffed.
Third Period, 11:53, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins strike on the 4 on 4, with Dennis Seidenberg giving Boston its first lead of the game.
Seidenberg scored from the right side with Gregory Campbell and Rich Peverley picking up the assists.
Third Period, 11:20, 2-2: Things get nasty again as P.A. Parenteau is called for tripping and Milan Lucic evens the penalties when he takes a roughing call after the whistle for decking Parenteau. It will be 4 on 4 for the next two minutes.
Third Period, 9:50, 2-2: It appeared that Lane MacDermid offered an invitation to Michael Haley to dance, but Haley declined. Haley won a decision over Chris Clark in the second and Clark has not returned, but MacDermid was not able to get a shot at evening the score.
Third Period, 6:10, 2-2: Not much of a power play for the Bruins, who gave up a shorthanded chance and didn't generate any serious scoring opportunities of their own during that penalty.
Third Period, 4:10, 2-2: The Bruins will get a chance for their first lead as they go on the power play with John Tavares sent to the box for slashing.
Third Period, 2:54, 2-2: Thomas feeling it now as he makes back to back stops on Jay Pandolfo in front and Josh Bailey on a rebound at the right post to keep this one tied.
Third Period, 1:10, 2-2: The Isles nearly strike as John Tavares has a chance at the right post with Thomas down, but the sprawling Thomas is able to keep it out.
Third Period, 0:00, 2-2: The final frame is under way here in Bridgeport, with the Bruins and Islanders deadlocked at 2-2.
Chris Clark does not appear to be on the Boston bench for the start of the third. He was bloodied in a fight in the second period and has not played since. Tim Thomas reamins in goal.
End Second Period, 2-2: The first 40 minutes are in the books and this one is back even as the Bruins rally for two quick goals after falling behind by a pair.
The Bruins outshot New York 16-5 in the period and hold a 24-16 edge overall. Chris Clark appeared to wake the club up with his fight against Michael Haley, but he did not return to the bench after leaving the ice bloodied in the bout.
Second Period, 17:20, 2-2: Strange sight as Brad Marchand puts a hit on Mark Streit that sends the Islanders captain's stick helicoptering high into the air and into the Boston bench.
Second Period, 13:48, 2-2: The Bruins tie it up as Tyler Seguin scores the equalizer for Boston.
Benoit Pouliot set up the play from behind the net, feeding Seguin at the top of the crease for the goal.
Second Period, 12:21, Islanders 2-1: Clark may have lost his fight, but the effort seems to have awoken the Bruins, who finally get on the board 14 seconds later on a David Krejci goal.
Krejci scores unassisted with a wrister past Nabokov from the right circle.
Second Period, 12:07, Islanders 2-0: Eventful shift for Chris Clark. After he was denied on point-blank bid in front, Clark landed a big hit on Mark Eaton.
Michael Haley then lined up Clark with a big hit, and those two squared off in the first fight of the night. This one was all Haley, who dropped Clark with a quick flurry. To Clark's credit, he got back up and continued the bout, but Haley landed the bulk of the punches and Clark headed off bloodied.
Second Period, 10:00, Islanders 2-0: Evgeni Nabokov has taken over in net for the Islanders. Tim Thomas remains in goal for the Bruins.
Second Period, 8:30, Islanders 2-0: The first sign of some bad blood as Brad Marchand gets under the skin of P.A. Parenteau enough to start a brief tussle. They dropped the gloves but fell right away in a wrestling match.
They get matching minors, Marchand for high-sticking and Parenteau for roughing.
Second Period, 6:48, Islanders 2-0: The Islanders double the lead, with former Bruin and Boston College product Marty Reasoner getting the goal.
Michael Haley fired a one-timer wide from the slot, but the puck went off the end boards right to Reasoner for goal at the right post.
Second Period, 4:13, Islanders 1-0: It's been a quiet start to the second, but action is starting to pick up with Milan Lucic laying a big hit on Travis Hamonic, then the Bruins creating a chance down low.
Second Period, 0:00, Islanders 1-0: The middle frame is under way here in Bridgeport, with the Bruins looking to pull even after the Islanders struck on a two-man advantage in the first.
End First Period, Islanders 1-0: The first 20 minutes are in the books, and the Bruins head into the break trailing by a goal.
Boston was the better team 5 on 5, but penalties proved costly with New York converting a two-man advantage for the game's lone goal.
First Period, 19:35, Islanders 1-0: The Islanders nearly strike again as Chris Kelly falls, creating a 2-on-1 break, but Thomas makes the save on Tavares at the left post.
First Period, 16:26, Islanders 1-0: Mad scramble in front of the Bruins net. Thomas came out to put a hit on Frans Neilsen at the top of the crease. This one wasn't quite as effective as decking a Sedin though, as the puck almost deflected into the net before Thomas got back into the crease.
First Period, 12:31, Islanders 1-0: The Bruins are back at full strength and Ference nearly scored to tie on on a 2-on-1 break right out of the box, but Montoya made the stop.
First Period, 11:28, Islanders 1-0: The Islanders take advantage of the 5-on-3 opportunity as John Tavares opens the scoring.
The talented New York center one-timed a rebound from the high slot that Thomas had no chance of stopping. Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo pick up the assists.
First Period, 10:31, 0-0: The Bruins will now be down two men for 1:41 as Andrew Ference is sent off for high-sticking.
First Period, 10:12, 0-0: The Islanders will have their first power-play chance as Matt Bartkowksi takes a bad penalty. He's sent to the box for holding after hauling down an Islander coming down the left wing.
First Period, 9:41, 0-0: Rich Peverley with the nifty coast-to-coast rush, weaving through Islanders defenders the length of the ice for a bid in front, but Montoya makes the save to keep the game scoreless.
First Period, 7:27, 0-0: The Bruins got their first two shots of the game on that power play and had some decent movement to create chances, but couldn't convert and the sides are now back at even strength.
First Period, 5:27, 0-0: The Bruins get the first power play of the game as Islanders defesneman Andrew MacDonald is sent off for elbowing.
That came just after Seguin nearly set up Pouliot for a goal in the right slot. The Isles have a 3-0 edge in shots so far.
First Period, 2:39, 0-0: Islanders forward Michael Haley with the first big hit of the night, belting Joe Corvo in the corner.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: And we're under way here in Bridgeport.
It's the home of the Islanders' AHL affiliate, but there are plenty of Bruins fans on hand to help make this one a nearly full house.
6:55 p.m.: The Bruins will open this one with their top line of Lucic, Krejci and Horton, with Seidenberg and Corvo on defense and Thomas in goal.
The Islanders will counter with Michael Grabner, Frans Nielson and Kyle Okposo up front, Travis Hamonic and Andy MacDonald on the blue line and Al Montoya in net.
6:40 p.m.: The Bruins have their top line intact for this one with David Krejci between Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton.
With Patrice Bergeron getting the night off, Tyler Seguin is centering the second line between Brad Marchand and Benoit Pouliot, with Chris Kelly on the third line ith Max Sauve and Rich Peverley and Gregory Campbell centering Lane MacDermid and Chris Clark on the fourth unit.
On defense, Dennis Seidenberg is skating with Joe Corvo, Matt Bartkowski with Johnny Boychuk and Andrew Ference with Adam McQuaid.
Horton, Clark and Boychuk are wearing the A's for this one. That could be an indication that Clark may have locked down a spot with the club after coming to camp on a tryout.
6:30 p.m.: The Bruins have taken the ice for warm-ups here in Bridgeport, with Tim Thomas leading them out. He'll get the start in goal.
Al Montoya led the Isles out. Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Shawn Thornton and Jordan Caron are scheduled to be the scratches for Boston, along with Steven Kampfer, who will be out 2-4 weeks with a sprained MCL in his left knee.
6:15 p.m.: Welcome to Bridgeport, home of the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate and site of the Bruins' final preseason contest against the Isles.
The teams will take the ice for warm-ups in just a few minutes, so stayed tuned for updates on all the action as the Bruins close out the exhibition slate and work on finalizing the roster for the regular season.
8 a.m. ET: The Bruins will close out their preseason schedule with a trip to Bridgeport, Conn., to take on the New York Islanders on Saturday.
This game will feature some familiar foes. The Bruins have already faced the Isles once this preseason, rolling to a 6-3 win at the Garden on Sept. 23. The Bruins and Islanders also split a pair of rookie games at Nassau Coliseum before the start of the main camp.
The final exhibition game often serves as a bit of a dress rehearsal, with teams having mostly set their rosters and looking to get their regulars back in sync before the real games begin. But with the bulk of last year's team back and just six preseason games this year, the Bruins are approaching this finale a little different.
Bruins coach Claude Julien doesn't expect to play all of his regulars. The veterans feel ready despite the short offseason. There are others battling for the few open spots who Julien wants to get a longer look at, so this game will be as much about evaluation as it about fine-tuning.
"We're comfortable where some of our players are right now, and the other part is there are some players that are still really battling for those last spots, so we need to evaluate right to the end," Julien said. "So you're probably not going to see the main roster as far as what we anticipate to start [the season] with, but we'll see some battles still going on for those last spots."
One battle may have already been settled, at least for now. With Steven Kampfer suffering a sprained MCL in Thursday's loss to Ottawa, Matt Bartkowski appears to have secured the seventh defenseman role to start the season. But the likes of Jordan Caron, Chris Clark, Max Sauve and Lane MacDermid are still competing for the final spot or two available up front, so there's still plenty at stake in this one.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. in Bridgeport, the home of the host Islanders' AHL affiliate, so check back here for updates on all the action.
